Black Cat Weekly 11

This issue has been fun to put together. As a Maryland resident, I’ve always been partial to stories set in my home state, and Golden Age mystery author Zenith Brown is here this time with Murder in Maryland, a classic mystery originally published under her “David Frome” pseudonym. (She also wrote as Leslie Ford.) Add to that more mysteries by Hal Charles (another Solve-It-Yourself mystery challenge), Lester Dent (author of the famous Shadow pulp novels), Murray Leinster (whose name most science fiction readers should recognize), plus a great tale by Carolina Garcia-Aguilera (selected by Barb Goffman), and you have a terrific lineup. Alas, I wasn’t able to get to another Frank Lovell Nelson story, but his telepathic detective will be back next week. In the words of TV hucksters, But wait, there’s more! Remember, we also include great science fiction and fantasy in every issue, and here we have a bunch of classics by Lester del Rey (a rare fantasy from John W. Campbell’s Unknown first published in 1940), a devilish fantasy tale by Jerome Bixby, and a science fiction story by Robert Silverberg & Randall Garrett in collaboration. Plus I’m sneaking in one of my own Zelloque fantasies, written when I was reading the Richard Burton translation of The Thousand and One Nights. The influence shows. Our science fiction novel this issue is Get Off My World, by Eando Binder. —John Betancourt, Editor Here’s the complete lineup: Mysteries “This Will Slay You,” by Dale Clark [novelet] “Playing by the Rules,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “The Pipeline Juggernaut,” by Lester Dent [short story] “Pink Ears,” by Murray Leinster [short story] “The Right Profile,” by Carolina Garcia-Aguilera [Barb Goffman Presents Mystery] Murder in Maryland, by Zenith Brown [novel] Science Fiction & Fantasy “The Pipes of Pan,” by Lester del Rey [fantasy short story] “The Incomplete Theft,” by Robert Silverberg & Randall Garrett [science fiction short story] “The Last Guardian of Ru Ishtl,” by John Gregory Betancourt [fantasy short story] “The Battle of the Bells,” by Jerome Bixby [fantasy short story] Get Off My World, by Eando Binder [novel]

Our 77th issue features a pair of original stories, one by Jesse Lee (which does double-duty as mystery and science fiction), and one by Phyllis Ann Karr (another of her weird westerns, again featuring itinerant gambler Bart Maverel). Plus we have a Bruce Arthurs suspense tale, the first Stainless Steel Rat short story from Harry Harrison, and even a long-long essay from Harlan Ellison! And the usual great selection of science fiction, fantasy, crime, and mystery novels and short stories. As always, special thanks to our acquiring editors, Michael Bracken and Barb Goffman, for their help with this issue. Here’s the lineup: Here’s this issue’s lineup: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “Dirty Water,” by Jesse Lee [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “A Shipshape Reunion,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “Beks and the Second Note,” by Bruce Arthurs [Barb Goffman Presents short story] “Dirge for a Nude,” by Jonathan Craig [short novel] The Powder Dock Mystery, by Reed Fulton [novel] Nonfiction: “It’s No Longer Astounding!” by Harlan Ellison Science Fiction & Fantasy: “Kitty Wampole,” is copyright © 2023 by Phyllis Ann Karr [short story] “The Stainless Steel Rat,” by Harry Harrison [short story] “The Eleventh Hour,” by Edwin Balmer & William B. MacHar [short story] “Date Line,” by Noel M. Loomis [short story] “White Spot,” by Murray Leinster [short novel]

Our 54th issue is another good one. On the mystery side, we have a great original tale by Jacqueline Freimor (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken), plus strong stories by Stephen D. Rogers (selected by Barb Goffman) and James Holding, another solve-it-yourself puzzler from Hal Charles (the writing team of Hal Blythe and Charlie Sweet), and an Edwardian mystery novel by Dick Donovan—whose popularity rivaled that of Arthur Conan Doyle in their day. On the science fiction side, Acquiring Editor Cynthia Ward has a stunning tale by Holly Wade Matter, plus we have classic shorts by James Blish, Robert Zacks, and Kendell Foster Crossen—plus a novel by Arthur K. Barnes. Good stuff! Here’s the complete lineup: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “A Death-drop to Die For,” by Jacqueline Freimor [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “Most Guilty Person,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “Sensing the Fall,” by Stephen D. Rogers [Barb Goffman Presents short story] “Phase Four,” by James Holding [short story] A Gilded Serpent, by Dick Donovan [novel] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “The Russian Winter,” by Holly [short story] "Inside Matter," by James Blish “From Outer Space,” by Robert Zacks [short story] “The Gnome’s Gneiss,” by Kendell Foster Crossen [short story] Interplanetary Hunter, by Arthur K. Barnes [novel]

This is a special issue—our 50th, as you may have noticed from our cover. To celebrate, all past and present editors were to contribute a story. (It helps that they are also amazingly talented writers.) So we have stories from Michael Bracken, Barb Goffman, Paul Di Filippo, Darrell Schweitzer, and Cynthia Ward in addition to our other fare. But wait! There’s more! This issue features four original tales—Elizabeth Zelvin has a fantasy/mystery stories, Phyllis Ann Karr has a weird western, and Cynthia Ward has a gonzo science fiction crowd-funding story. And I have completed a story by the late H.B. Fyfe, who was best known for his science fiction stories, though this one is a revenge tale that most closely fits the mystery genre. And the good stuff doesn’t stop there. We also have a superhero story from Darrell Schweitzer. Space Opera from Algis Budrys and E.E. “Doc” Smith. A historical mystery novel by western author B.M. Bower. A historical investigation from Charles Todd. A Mallworld story from Somtow Sucharitkul (who also writes as S.P. Somtow). And no issue is complete without a solve-it-yourself mystery by Hal Charles. All in all, this is an probably our best Black Cat Weekly yet. Here’s the complete lineup: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “The Ladies of Wednesday Tea” by Michael Bracken [short story] “Hidden in Plain Sight” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “Ice Ice Baby” by Barb Goffman [short story] “Flayed” by H.B. Fyfe and John Gregory Betancourt [short story] “Blood Money” by Charles Todd [Barb Goffman Presents short story] “The House of Marble” by Elizabeth Zelvin [Michael Bracken Presents short story] The Eagle’s Wing, by B.M. Bower [novel] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “The House of Marble” by Elizabeth Zelvin [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “The Rise and Fall of Whistle-Pig City” by Paul Di Filippo [short story] “Rabid in Mallworld” by Somtow Sucharitkul [short story] “Fighting the Zeppelin Gang” by Darrell Schweitzer [short story] “Winona of Bleeding Kansas” by Phyllis Ann Karr [short story] “The Campaign Is Now Officially Complete” by Cynthia Ward [short story] “Blood on my Jets” by Algis Budrys [short story] The Skylark of Valeron, by Edward E. Smith, Ph.D. [novel]

Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “An Adventure Aloft,” by A.L. Sirois [Michael Bracken Presents short story, Sherlock Holmes series] “The Case of the Murdered Manager,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “Hidden,” by Victoria Selman [Barb Goffman Presents short story] “My Lord The Baby,” by Hal Meredith [short story, Sexton Blake series] “The Gallery Gods,” by Murray Leinster [short story] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “Sympathy For Vampires,” by John Gregory Betancourt [short story] “Sir Farley’s Story,” by Phyllis Ann Karr [short story] “Journals of the Plague Years,” by Norman Spinrad [short story] “The Enemy,” by Richard Wilson [short story] “Beyond Our Control,” by Randall Garrett [novelet]

Our 105th issue features a pair of original mystery stories, one by Steve Liskow (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken) and one by the late Henry T. Parry (revised and completed by me). Parry published more than two dozen mystery stories from the late 1960s through the early 1980s, and his daughter was kind enough to pass on his unfinished and unpublished work, which will be appearing in BCW in future issues. We also have a mystery tale by Stephen D. Rogers (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Barb Goffman) and a suspense novel, The Horror Expert—a foray into crime noir by noted fantasist Frank Belknap Long. I suspect there are more than a few autobiographical elements! And, of course, we have a solve-it-yourself puzzler from the mighty pen (or word processor) of Hal Charles. On the science fiction side of things, we have a classic novel by British writer J.J. Connington, best known for his mysteries. (I thought it made a nice counterpoint to Long’s crime novel.) It chronicles one man’s attempt to stop a plague from destroying humanity. Plus fantasies by Adrian Cole and Joseph Payne Brennan, and SF shorts by Robert Silverberg and Lin Carter. Quite a fun issue. Here’s the complete lineup: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “This Year’s Model,” by Steve Liskow [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “Jellybean Justice,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “Stagnant,” by Stephen D. Rogers [Barb Goffman Presents short story] “Best-Laid Plans,” by Henry T. Parry and John Gregory Betancourt The Horror Expert, by Frank Belknap Long [short story] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “Broken Billy,” by Adrian Cole “Age of Anxiety,” by Robert Silverberg [short story] “The Man Who Feared Masks,” by Joseph Payne Brennan [short story] “Owlstone,” by Lin Carter [short story] Nordenholt’s Million, by J. J. Connington [novel]